A Snapshot of Browns Creek
Although you may not have seen Browns Creek before, you’ve probably been close to it: the urban stream winds through Green Hills, past the Nashville Fairgrounds, GEODIS park, Trevecca Nazarene University, and the downtown warehouse district before flowing into the Cumberland River.
Small but mighty, Browns Creek is a vibrant ecosystem that supports sensitive wildlife like fish, herons, salamanders, and turtles. Additionally, it carries water that will later be treated to become drinking water for the city of Nashville.
Despite being such a vital resource for people and wildlife alike, it isn’t in peak condition today: in fact, it’s considered impaired due to a variety of pollutants such as oil, E. coli, nutrients, and sediment. Most of these pollutants are carried into the creek by stormwater runoff after rainfall.
When rain falls in the Browns Creek watershed, it flows across roads, parking lots, lawns, and roofs before entering the creek. The more paved surfaces there are in the watershed, the more stormwater runoff enters Browns Creek.
“Every day, decisions are made by developers, businesses, and regular Nashvillians that influence the health of Browns Creek,” says Mekayle Houghton, Executive Director of the Cumberland River Compact. “Choices like what to do with the Nashville Fairgrounds, whether to prioritize parking or public transportation, and even whether to pick up your dog waste have a direct impact on what enters the water.”
The Compact has long identified Browns Creek as a high-value stream restoration project that has the potential to be Nashville’s next great creek revitalization story. In keeping with the Compact’s approach of intwining initiatives for increased impact, the Compact will utilize specialized expertise from across our programs – stream restoration, urban waters, and education & engagement – to find the most impactful solutions for the Browns Creek watershed.
New Restoration Efforts along Browns Creek
In early 2026, the Cumberland River Compact began a new phase of restoration and conservation work along a 4.3-mile stretch of Browns Creek adjacent to the Cumberland River. This dedicated focus is supported by a grant from the State of Tennessee, funding from Oracle and Fallon Community Fund, and neighborhood groups throughout the watershed. Over the next two years, the Compact aims to complete several depave projects, replant one acre of riparian buffer, plant 300 large trees, construct several rain gardens, and host volunteer events – all to support the restoration of Browns Creek.
The first phase of the project has focused on building relationships – both to identify potential depave sites and to invite the community to learn more about the Browns Creek watershed. Over the summer of 2026, Compact staff are leading educational Walk & Talks along Browns Creek. Centering around the green infrastructure of GEODIS Park, the walk and talks are open to the public and share how people have shaped the land and water of Browns Creek in and around the Nashville Fairgrounds.
These talks explain the ecological significance of Browns Creek, how it’s threatened by development, and what Nashvillians are already doing to protect it– such as installing green infrastructure like rain gardens, bioretention basins, and permeable pavers. Attendees also get up-close-and personal with live critters humanely collected from Browns Creek itself, including salamanders, snails, and crayfish.
The Compact’s Education Team has also been working with teachers and students in the Browns Creek watershed, helping them explore how stormwater management at their school impacts local water quality.
The second phase of work will include transformative restoration projects such as depaving to replace asphalt with native plants, improve stormwater absorption, decrease flash flooding, and reduce pollution entering the Cumberland River- where all Nashvillians get their drinking water.
A Snapshot of Browns Creek
This work isn’t being done in isolation; Community members and businesses alike envision a future where Browns Creek is restored and this important urban natural resource supports wildlife, biodiversity, and contributes to the health of our drinking water. A 2025 poll of Nashville voters on potential uses for the Fairgrounds found that a majority of respondents would like to protect Browns Creek and build a public park.
Oracle has supported the restoration of Browns Creek since 2023, and others are turning their attention to the potential that exists in this vibrant watershed.
If you want to get involved, have a depave or tree planting site to suggest, or just want to keep up to date on projects in the Browns Creek watershed, sign up for the Compact’s monthly newsletter, Streamlines or send us an email at info@cumberlandrivercompact.org.
